My sister applied for a scholarship that had an interview component. When one of the girls came back from her interview, they asked her how it went. It was at that moment that the girl realized the question had been about "euthanasia," not "youth in Asia."

Being either deaf or blind is one thing, but being deaf already - relying on sign language and visual cues for every bit of human interaction, communication, and basic information required to function and care for oneself - losing sight under those circumstances would have been devastating. They would have gone from employed and functional to completely unable to care for themselves. Not something to want to live with. I doubt this had to do with not seeing each others faces again.

Agreed. They could have used braille to communicate FFS. But their life belongs to them, not the state. I agree with the article that in Switzerland you must be an active participant in the act instead of being put down passively like an animal when they had the faculty to do so.

I've just cared for a close friend during her last weeks in hospice at my house. I will not go out like she did in a delirium of pain and psychosis no drugs could touch because they caused much of it.

I've also had a close friend take himself out due to depression. He needed help he couldn't seem to find. I didn't know he'd tried to kill himself on several occasions, he hid his problem well and was coldly methodical with his end so that there would not be excessive trauma to those who were alerted. I feel he had other options he didn't consider IMHO. I still miss him and harbor survivors guilt -- at least I hope I'm better prepared to look for signs in others who are salvageable.

Regardless, I think these twins had options but instead of acting alone, they involved others in their decision so at least it wasn't unilateral and impulsive.

It's still sad. It's the only life you have and if you're not in pain and can still contribute and participate, cherish every moment. Look at Prof. Stephan Hawking. He's in a shell of a hunman body but the world looks to him for his knowledge and insight. If there's anyone whom I'd feel could make a decision to live like that, it would be him, the owner of that situation.

This is why you always want to know the latest medical findings or advancements. Just a week ago, blind mice were given sight through an experiment. They just didn't have blind human test subjects to see if whatever they did would also work on humans. What if it actually works on blind people and not just mice?